"Section 4.3.2 of the Chesterburgh Municipal Surveillance Agreement mandates the installation of audio-visual monitoring in all public parks ‘for public safety enhancement and law enforcement purposes’."

Last week, the Chesterburgh Town Council quietly approved a new contract with Homeland Secure Technologies (HST), an Alabama-based surveillance firm, which expands the town's public monitoring system to include real-time facial recognition and audio capture in all municipal parks, playgrounds, and recreation areas. The 15-year, $4.7 million contract, uncovered through a recent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed by this reporter, reveals clauses that were neither publicly discussed nor subject to community input before approval.

Chesterburgh residents first heard mention of upgraded security cameras in the parks during a brief mention at a council meeting on March 12th, where the agenda listed “park safety enhancements.” However, no detailed explanation or public hearing followed. It was only after examining the full surveillance contract—obtained through FOIA—that the scope and capabilities of the new system became clear.

The contract stipulates installation of high-definition cameras equipped with facial recognition algorithms, thermal imaging sensors, and omnidirectional microphones capable of recording conversations in public spaces. Notably, Section 7.1 specifies data retention policies, allowing recorded footage and audio to be stored for up to five years. Section 9.4 states that footage may be shared with third-party federal law enforcement agencies “upon reasonable suspicion of criminal activity,” but does not outline community oversight or safeguards against misuse.

“The contract's language prioritizes surveillance depth over citizen privacy,” says a cybersecurity consultant who reviewed the documents anonymously. “It essentially enables mass monitoring without clear limits or accountability. Such pervasive audio capture, combined with facial recognition, is unprecedented for a town of Chesterburgh’s size.”

Chesterburgh’s population currently stands around 14,000, with a strong community culture centered on family activities and neighborhood events within its parks. Parents and local advocacy groups are now raising alarms. “Our kids’ playgrounds should not be sensor fields feeding data into opaque systems,” stated Marian Kelly, president of the Chesterburgh Parent Alliance. “We're being watched not just for safety, but for surveillance without transparency.”

Attempts to secure comment from the Town Council yielded limited responses. Council President Robert Hines deferred questions to the town administrator, who responded with a written statement: “This surveillance initiative is designed to enhance public safety by deterring crime and assisting law enforcement. All contractual obligations adhere to applicable law.” There was no mention of any public consultation or privacy impact assessment prior to implementation.

A deeper dive into the records reveals that an earlier proposal for the surveillance upgrade was brought before the council in November 2023 but was withdrawn after vocal public opposition. The current contract, which replaced it, appears to bypass standard public notification protocols by categorizing the expenditure under “emergency safety measures.” This enabled accelerated approval under the town's purchasing guidelines.

Section 12.5 of the contract details an ongoing maintenance agreement, including software updates that could enable expanded biometric data gathering as technologies evolve. “Once this infrastructure is in place, it locks Chesterburgh into a long-term surveillance architecture,” notes privacy law expert Dr. Alan Milford. “Contracts like this rarely include rollback clauses.”

Compounding concern is the lack of a dedicated oversight committee. FOIA requests for communications between HST and the C